In recent years, a number of redevelopment ideas have been tossed out for the historic Uline Arena, famous as the site of The Beatles’ first US concert. Among those ideas were a music museum and a massive mixed-use project with 225 residences.

On Wednesday night, Paul Millstein from Douglas Development, which bought the property in 2004, stopped by the ANC 6C Planning and Zoning meeting to share details on the latest plans for the 1100 block of 3rd Street NE (map).

Douglas now hopes to bring 50,000 square feet of retail and 150,000 square feet of office space to the unique curved structure. The retail will be divided between small retailers facing 3rd Street NE and one 40,000-square foot vendor facing Delaware Avenue NE — ideally an “Eataly-like” vendor, with a market, restaurant and bar concept. As UrbanTurf readers know, the excitement surrounding an Eataly concept arriving in DC is matched by the difficulty in finding a location suitable for such an establishment.

Douglas has filed an application with the Historic Preservation Office and is close to filing with the BZA, giving hope to the committee that the project will be moving forward steadily.

In other news from the meeting, the Heritage Foundation plans to create six row houses on the 400 block of 3rd Street NE. The developers will build six houses on top of a surface parking lot, and build a large, three-story parking garage underneath. The facades of the homes will differ slightly: the southernmost home will have a turret, the next three will have blocky square bays, and the two northernmost houses will have differently shaped bay windows and roofs. The Heritage Foundation also has plans to rehab several buildings on the 200 block of Massachusetts Avenue NE.

This is a shame. Those terraces would be magnificent outdoor restaurant space that could be used by everyone instead of office terraces used by almost no one.

I used to work in an office building that had a magnificent roof terrace with terrific views. No one ever used it.

I’d love to see more restaurant retail and residential. We already have plenty of boring office space.

But then its not my property so I guess I’m not the one that gets to make that choice.

Tom A. said at 11:18 am on Monday February 11, 2013:

The Heritage Foundation as a landlord? I think this is worthy of a story on its own. Will they rent to whites only? No unmarried couples?

It seems odd that lobbying groups are becoming landlords. Or maybe this happens already- I don’t know. DC is political enough, I can’t imagine writing a monthly rent check to a PAC or lobbying group- on either side of the aisle.

Random said at 6:50 pm on Wednesday February 13, 2013:

There seems to be some type of Heritage connection to a rowhouse at 5th and F, NE. It’s unclear if the house is regularly occupied but when it is there are often limos outside picking people up in the morning. It’s a bit unusual but maybe that’s how the other half lives.